Digi Potter
by Chyna Rose
Summary: An AU crossover with Harry Potter hence the title . Daisuke and Ken are two of a new bunch of recruits into the wonderful world of wizadry in Britain. Eventual slash.
1. Prolouge

* * *

Digi Potter (for lack of a better title)

By Chyna Rose

Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter nor Digimon.

Continuity/Spoilers: Takes place after the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; late July between Harry's fourth and fifth year.

Warnings: Implied rape attempt, vehicular violence, and implied violence from the previous Harry Potter books.

Couples: None yet.

Author's Note: This is an alternate universe story for both series. The Digital World, if it exists at all, is undiscovered. Ken's brother is alive, although the car hit him. (A fanon theory as to his death) In keeping with the age requirements of the Digidestined, I have had to play around with the Harry Potter world. Joyu, Taichi, Sora, Koushiro, and Mimi have been secretly inserted into the background of the books as one of those miscellaneous students. This is also primarily a Digimon fic. Which means that the main focus will be on the Digidestined rather than Harry and Co. I got the idea for this story from a fellow writer on a Kensuke mailing list. Actually, it was more of a case of reading Jacq, Nazzy, and Stix's story kicked my muses into action, since I've always kicked the idea of a Digimon/Harry Potter crossover around my brain. In future chapters, there **will** be slash, make no bones about it. I'm talking Ken/Daisuke with a high chance of Taichi/Yamato and Harry/Draco people. You should know this if you've read any of my other Harry Potter/Digimon work.

-----Prologue-----

Daisuke was not someone you would call a normal child. For one thing, he was prone to unprecedented incidents of sadness. For another, he hadn't taken up the attitude of other boys his age when it came to the subject of girls. And then there was this feeling of 'difference' that clung to him like a cloak. Of course there were rational explanations for all of this. He was prone to fits of depression that would require medication to regulate. He had been spared of, or at least proved resistant to, the gender rules all children learn as they begin to interact with society. He also happened to have two traits that made him different from the general population, but he wasn't quite aware of these yet himself.

"Hey Dai. How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine Jun."

"Just fine?"

"What do you expect me to say? We just moved to a foreign country. I don't know anyone here, I don't know my way around, and everyone keeps asking me how I feel before I can even **begin** to settle in."

"Look, I know you…"

"You know nothing. **Nothing**! But then, how could you. You've never killed anyone."

"You didn't kill him."

"He died because of me. I watched as his life went out." The young boy said, tears streaming down his face. His sister grasped him in a hug, and held him close as he sobbed.

"It wasn't your fault. If you hadn't run across the road, he would've raped you. He knew there was a risk, but he tried to follow you anyway. Hell, it's a virtual miracle that **you** didn't get hit."

"But…"

"Shush. Now let's get you unpacked."

"Thanks."

"No problem. I'm your big sister; it's part of my job."

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Today was a miserable day. At least, that's what Ken thought. Today was Ken's eleventh birthday. And that was partly the problem. There would be no party, even if the young boy had had any friends to invite. And there were to be no presents, at least for him. In fact, there would be nothing to note the passing of another year in a young life beyond what Ken himself did. His brother, on the other hand, was the center of attention as usual.

Ken **hated** his older brother. Or at least that was how he felt right now. This hate was born out of jealousy. Their parents couldn't care enough to notice that their youngest had reached his annual achievement of surviving twelve more months. But they cared to make a **huge** fuss as the eldest got yet **another** prize for his genius. After all, god forbid Osamu didn't get praise and attention for something he had done hundreds of times already.

"Hey Kenny-boy."

"Go away!"

"You don't mean that." Sam said as he rolled himself into the room.

"Yes I do."

"Now, now. Sulking won't get you anywhere. Besides, mom sent me to get you."

"I wanna stay here."

Osamu sighed. He wished that he could help Ken, but there was nothing much he could do. As the younger brother, Ken should've gotten the bulk of parental attention. But as luck would have it, Osamu began to gain public notice for his naturally high intelligence level. His parents, both pretty plain people, soaked all this up and put their energy and attention into the 'star' of the family.>

And then there was the accident. A car had nearly hit Ken, if Osamu hadn't pushed him out of the way. The car that would've killed Ken, merely crippled Osamu. Sometimes, it seemed to Osamu as if Ken blamed him for not letting him die. And it scared him that his brother wanted to die. It also worried him that his brother gave the impression to act younger the older they got.

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"Hey Tai, pass me that book over there, will you?"

"What do you want it for?"

"I want to look something up."

"Kari…"

"What? Tai, it's not like this is going to warp my mind. Besides, it's not like you're even interested in divination."

"Divination's a crock!"

"Well, **I** find it interesting."

"It's not even real magic."

"Then why do you care if I'm interested in it?"

That appeared to shut him up Hikari began to read the book she had asked for as her brother began to look for the book he needed for his summer assignments for school.

Last year there had been a bit of excitement. Then again, every year had been exciting. First the basilisk, then the escape of Sirius Black… But at least last year, the excitement was of a positive nature, although Hikari had a feeling that something bad had happened. Something that no one was telling her.

But that was really not her concern. What had happened happened, and there was nothing she could do about it. What she **could** do was sit and wait to see what would happen now. Something her brother was notoriously bad at doing.

"Do you think the rumors are true?" Taichi asked, startling Hikari out of her reading. She knew that he must **really** be worried, if he was talking to her about it without any probing on her part.

"What rumors?"

"Well, I heard from Gary, who heard it from, Alice, who heard if from Julie, who found out from her cousin, who overheard it from…"

"Tai, never mind the source. What rumors are you talking about?"

"They're saying that He-who's-name-strikes-fear-into-the-hearts-of-men has risen and is trying to regain power."

"I didn't think you believe in Satan."

"I don't."

"Then who… Oh. **Him**. I don't know Tai. I know **something** bad happened, but I have no idea what."

"Oh."

"Don't worry Tai. I'm sure everything will be fine. There are plenty of people who are more able to handle it then you are."

"So are you excited about this year?"

"Pretty much. It sounds like a great school."

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Miyako blew an errant strand of lavender hair out of her face. She **knew** she could do it if she concentrated hard enough. It was her knack, after all. Iori stood by her quietly, watching her work. Finally, she smiled and began to type.

"Perfecto! You should be able to find everything now, although I'd double check it to make sure that there wasn't any degradation. And you really should back up your hard drive once a month."

"Thank you Miyako. I really don't know what happened…"

"No problemo. It's what friends do."

"So have you heard from any of the secondary schools you applied to?"

"Not yet, but it's still early. Besides, would it really be **that** bad if I end up in a public school?"

"I guess not."

"Cheer up Iori. Hey, I have an idea. Why don't we play a game of Go?" 

"Sure. Do you want to play black?"

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"Hey TK."

"Matt! What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to be living here from now on. Dad's new job doesn't allow for much free time. He barely has a spare moment to eat and sleep, let alone supervise a teenager."

"Mom's not going to like this."

"Tough. There's really nothing that can be done about it. I am what I am, I'm here, and that's that."

"Any idea about where you'll be going to school?"

"Well, there's really only one place I can go. And since it's basically a boarding school, mom just has to put up with me for the rest of the summer."

"Uh, why don't I help you put your stuff into your room."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

With that, the two blond teens began setting up the guest bedroom for use by the elder. Once that was taken care of, they headed into the kitchen. Yamato figured that things would go smoother for all concerned if he cooked dinner before dropping the bombshell. And that was how Nancy Takashi found them.

* * *

I want to retun now. 


	2. Of Ink and Feathers

* * *

Digi Potter   
By Chyna Rose   
Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter nor Digimon.   
Continuity/Spoilers: Starts after the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; late July between Harry's fourth and fifth year.   
Warnings: A small reference to past violent acts.   
Couples: None yet.   
Author's Note: I'm happy with the way this chapter turned out. I had some rough spots, but everything got smoothed out in the end. Oh, and a kudos to the first person who guesses the identity of Daisuke's next-door neighbor. I am trying to stay true to the personalities of the Digidestined, even if it may not seem like that. Especially when it comes to Ken. To say that the Ken in my story has issues would be an understatement. But when you factor in the whole Kaiser episode it does make sense. Personally, I don't think the dark spore was the sole cause of Ken's alter ego. The potential for violence was always there, it just needed a catalyst for it to manifest. And since I'm not using the dark spore, I needed to find another catalyst: Osamu. Since we never find out **why** Miyako wears glasses, I'm going to assume that she's nearsighted. I know what nearsightedness is like. My mother is nearsighted, and so am I although haven't worn glasses for most of my life.   
----- Of Ink and Feathers -----   
It was yet another summer morning in the Yagami household. Taichi was making his way down to breakfast sleepily, while his sister followed more awake and a little apprehensive. Mrs. Yagami was cooking a batch of suspicious looking pancakes. Mr. Yagami was sipping his morning tea and reading the Daily Prophet. Hikari noticed three letters laying unopened on the table. Two were for her brother, and the last one was clearly meant for her. She felt her stomach twist with trepidation as to whether this was the real thing or not. That nagging little voice in the back of her head whispered promises of disappointment and embracement if she opened the letter that was nothing more than a mistake at best, or a cruel joke at worst. Taking a deep breath, she carefully opened the plain envelope and began to read the parchment inside. Dear Miss Yagami… pleased to inform you… accepted to Hogwarts… enclosed list… owl no later than July 31. Hikari let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, and sagged into her chair. It was official.   
"Are you alright honey?" Mrs. Yagami asked her daughter.   
"I'm fine mum. Do you think we could go to Daigon Alley today?"   
"I want to wait until we hear from Hogwarts before we go. That way we can get all your school supplies in one trip."   
"I just got the letter, so can we go?"   
"You did? Congratulations Kari."   
"Thanks Tai."   
"Well, in that case, I don't see why not. We'll leave right after breakfast."   
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Daisuke was kicking a soccer ball around the small postage stamp of a yard. He had finished unpacking yesterday, and had really only two options for what to do now. And he didn't feel like drawing.   
The neighborhood was pretty much a bust when it came to friends. The only person even **close** to his age was a girl who happened to live next door. And **she** was more interested in reading than making friends.   
Right now, she was seated in a lawn chair with a rather large tome. In her lap lazed a rather large tomcat, which she would occasionally scratch behind the ears. Daisuke stopped long enough to observe her.   
After a while, an owl appeared. If flew down towards the girl, and dropped something in front of her face. The girl looked at what had fallen, while the cat ignored the bird. Daisuke didn't have time to ponder any of this though. The owl had not left after it had finished its business with the girl. It circled Daisuke once, twice, and dropped something at his feet before finally flying off.   
Daisuke shrugged and picked up what the owl had been carrying. It was a letter addressed to him. It was sent by someone who knew him well enough to know which room was his. Perhaps it was from the bookworm, but Daisuke had no idea how she had managed to train the bird. He sent a surreptitious glance at her. She had gone back to her reading, but her cat was staring at him.   
"Hey Dai, Whatcha got there?" Jun asked as she came out of the house.   
"What's it look like?" Daisuke replied, waving the envelope in front of her face. Jun grabbed it and turned it over in her hand.   
"Who's it from?"   
"It doesn't say."   
"Well…"   
"Well what?"   
"Aren't you going to open it?"   
"Jun, did you have anything to do with this?"   
"I swear I had nothing to do with it."   
Daisuke took a moment to consider the facts before opening the letter. He read through the green ink letters a couple of times, with his sister trying to read it over his shoulder.   
"What's it say?"   
"It says that I've been accepted into a school for magic. I start in September."   
"No really, what does it say? I bet it's from a secret admirer."   
"Seriously. That's what it says." Daisuke said, handing the letter to Jun. Jun's jaw dropped as she got proof that Daisuke was telling the truth. Her little brother had just got a bit more interesting.   
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Nancy frowned as she looked at her older son. She didn't appreciate having him dropped on her on such short notice. She didn't like the way her ex had disrupted her life with so little effort. And she worried about the influence the magical musician would have on her little baby.   
Takeru, on the other hand, loved having his older brother around. They had always been close, and the separation had been hard on both of them. The fact that Yamato could do magic didn't phase Takeru. He thought it was cool, and was thrilled with Yamato's raven, Tengu.   
The three of them sat at the small kitchen table, with Tengu perched on the back of Yamato's chair. He was grudgingly accepting bits of toast from Takeru. A cool breeze was wafting through the window that Nancy kept open for the raven's use.   
Nancy would soon come to regret leaving the window open. She had just gotten up to answer the phone when an owl flew in. It passed back and forth between the two boys before simply dropping the two letters it was carrying in the middle of the table. And having been relieved of its burden, it flew off. Yamato picked up the envelopes, assuming that they were both for him. They both had the exact same green ink script and red wax seal. But while one bore his name, the other had Takeru's. Wordlessly, and a little shocked, he handed the letter to his brother. Takeru opened it, and as he read it, a frown began to form on his face.   
"Mom's not going to like this."   
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For Miyako, the morning didn't start till about noon, which was when her brother woke her up. She had stayed up late into the night at her computer attending to a 'dire' problem, and didn't welcome the rude wake up call. She pulled her blanket over her head, which was promptly yanked off. It took some grumbling, but Miyako was finally up.   
As Miyako shuffled her way into the kitchen, she noticed a cream colored blob on the counter. It eventually occurred to her, that seeing blobs was wrong and she shuffled out to retrieve her glasses. When she returned, the former blob was revealed to be an envelope. It turned out that the envelope was addressed to her, so she opened and read it. It was an acceptance letter from a school called Hogwarts. Having solved that little mystery, Miyako went about finding something to eat. In the back of her sleepy mind (and for the most part, ignored) a nagging little voice began to do its job.   
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It was a miserably perfect day for a certain sullen pre-teen. The sun was shining, and there wasn't a single cloud in the robin's egg blue July sky. But Ken wasn't in any mood for that.   
Ken had, at what he felt was an ungodly hour, been woken up by his mother for no other reason that Osamu had a doctor's appointment. Of course his parents couldn't leave Ken alone in the house, and neither of them could stay home to keep the proverbial eye on the eleven year old. Which meant that Ken was forced to sit in a hospital waiting room bored out of his skull for hours. (Yes, there was a room where the siblings and children of patients could play, but Ken was not allowed in there any more. His idea of a fun way to pass the time tended to be a little too disturbingly violent for peoples' tastes.)   
By the time Osamu was ready to go home, it was dinnertime. Ken was hungry. In a fit of anger, he had refused to eat the food available in the hospital cafeteria, and ended up missing both breakfast and lunch as a result. But after his parents took them to one of Osamu's favorite restaurants despite Ken's protests, he threw a fit. He refused to pick anything other that a dessert or the most expensive item on the menu. Unfortunately, the only thing this got him was an empty stomach and a worried glance from his brother. It wasn't the first time he had gone without food for a day, and it was starting to become evident that he was refusing more meals than he ate.   
As soon as they got back home, Ken stomped into his room and slammed the door closed. Sitting on his bed was a letter. Which was strange because a) it wasn't there when he had left, and b) he didn't have anyone to write to him. Still, it was here and it was addressed to **him **rather than his brother. Without another though, he opened the letter. And as he read it, a smile began to form on his face. One filled with malice, hate, and a hint of madness. Finally, he had the means of escaping his brother's shadow. 


	3. Gettin to the Station on Time

* * *

Digi Potter (for lack of a better title)

By Chyna Rose

Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter nor Digimon.

Continuity/Spoilers: Everything up to and including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; just before Harry's fifth year starts.

Warnings: None

Couples: None yet.

Author's Note: This particular chapter was hard to write. It took four tries, and I kinda had to chop the original third chapter into three separate ones in order to get it to look right. Oh well. At any rate, here it is. Smallady86, Babyshiro (although Osamu's not really **evil** per say),and syenite kai, you got your wish: more.   
Yami no Tenshi: Here is your kudos for being the first person to tell me your guess, and for being correct about it. This piece **will** be a Kensuke, so don't worry about that. Unfortunately, your pleas about Ken's placement are falling on deaf ears. He has to be placed there for the certain vital themes of my story to work. Besides, it fits him the best as he is now. And I happen to **like** Malfoy. He's really not that bad when you get down to it, and he to will have an important role in Ken's reform. Of course, if you read my other HP stuff, you should be familiar with my attitude towards Draco and which ship I crew for when it comes to him (chapter 5 of A Harry Potter Story not withstanding).

----- Gettin to the Station on Time -----

August passed quickly for Miyako. She spent most of the month talking to Iori, who was still skeptical about the whole magic thing even after the proof of its existence was shown to him. She realized that she would miss him when she left for school; after all, she **had** known him virtually his entire life.

Yet, she was excited about the new world that just opened up in front of her. It wasn't that she was a compulsive know it all, but rather that there were some questions bouncing around her head as to the Why and How of it all. When push came to shove, Miyako was a problem solver at heart. It's one of the things that made her so good with computers. Part of being a problem solver was knowing The Way Things Work so you could not only find problems, but have the knowledge on how to remedy them.

When September first rolled around, Miyako and Iori got ready to head to the station. They weren't the only ones in the lift though. Two (cute in Miyako's not so humble opinion) blondes were standing there with trunks and of all things, a raven. The bird was perched on the taller boy's shoulder, and Miyako was fighting a loosing battle with her curiosity over whether or not to ask him about the bird, as he didn't seem very friendly. Still, he **was** cute, and it couldn't hurt to flirt… and they **were** neighbors in a way…

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August plodded by too slowly for Hikari's tastes, until September first rolled around, in which case it had gone by rather quickly indeed. Yet it had passed and now was the time to leave home for, if not the first, than certainly for what would turn out to be the longest time spent away from home.

Hikari and her brother Taichi sat out of the way while Sora helped her friend Mimi repack after her trunk had ended up turned upside down by some unknown force. Taichi **swore** that he didn't do it, but Sora blamed him nonetheless. The four friends were waiting for the final two that made up their group before heading over to King's Cross for the train.

The group was a rather eclectic one. The five of them spanned three years and three houses. Yet other than Sora, Taichi wasn't that close to the others; and even **that **friendship became strained more often than not. A fact that Taichi attested to his simply not understanding girls.

"So what's he like?" Hikari asked, dragging Taichi's attention from the spectacle before him.

"What's who like?"

"Harry Potter. I mean he **is** in your house isn't he?"

"I really don't know Kari. I've seen him around, but I haven't really spoken to him. He pretty much keeps to himself and a small circle of friends."

"Oh."

"Sorry we're late." Joyu said as both he and Koushiro entered the house.

"It's okay. We're running a little behind anyway."

"**Someone** decided to dump out Mimi's trunk."

"I told you I didn't do it. Why would I even **want** to do it?"

Hikari rolled her eyes as Taichi and Sora got geared up for another quarrel. An event that had been occurring more often lately. It was quickly brought to a cease-fire by Joyu before it could get very far. Mimi closed her now repacked trunk with a decisive click. It was time.

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Takeru sagged as another crash sounded. His mother was trying to catch Tengu in order to put him in a travel cage. She had kept telling Yamato that he couldn't let the raven fly around free, and he kept telling her that Tengu refused to be confined. And now she was learning the hard way.

His mother had taken the news of his being a wizard rather well. There were no screaming/throwing fits, angry phone calls to her ex, crying jags, forbiddance or denial of magic… She simply sighed and was quiet for almost a week.

Takeru latter learned that magic itself wasn't really a factor in his parents divorce. He was four when the divorce had happened, and never really understood why. All he really remembered was his mother yelling something about magic before his father and brother left. His mother had never talked about it in the following years; usually changing the subject when he brought it up. After he had overheard his mother talking to his father on the phone about Yamato learning magic a couple of years ago, Takeru began to assume that his mother disliked magic. It just turned out that she disliked the way her former husband did things, and she suspected that Yamato was becoming too like his father.

Eventually Nancy gave up trying to grab Tengu. The bird settled down on Yamato's shoulder, seeming to mock her. Yamato kept his face neutral even though many others would smirk at being proven right. Takeru took one last look at his trunk to make sure everything was packed, before closing the lid and stuffing some travel items into a backpack. It was lucky for Yamato that their mother didn't check their trunks herself. The older boy had carefully placed his prized guitar in the middle of his clothes when she wasn't looking, as he knew that she didn't approve of his musical hobby.

Takeru and Yamato got into the lift to go to the station after their mother got a call from her editor. There was some small emergency that would keep her on the phone for hours. They weren't alone. A lavender haired girl and a serious looking boy got on dragging a steamer trunk between them. The girl kept looking at them, and then finally spoke.

"Hi."

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Ken was quietly packing his things when Osamu wheeled himself in. Ken looked happier than he had in a long while, for which Osamu was grateful. It was the best things for Ken from all angles. First, magic was not something Osamu could do, so Ken didn't have any expectations to live up to and he could have an outlet from behind his brother's shadow. Second, since the school offered room and board, Ken would have the space he needed to deal with his family issues. It would also supply him with an opportunity to come out of his shell. And maybe, just maybe, he would begin to make friends based on his own merits rather than who his brother was. At least that was Osamu's hope.

Osamu remembered the day he and his mother had gone with Ken to get his things. It had taken a lot of argument, as he had insisted on going with Ken despite his lingering injury. The representative from the Department of Information and Explanations (DIE) hadn't relished the idea of him visiting such magical places until he had pointed out to her that a sibling - especially one who still lived with the budding wizard or witch - was no different from a parent when it came to matters like this. Like the parents, they had a right to know and would probably find out anyway. The DIE agent couldn't fault his logic although she still held some reservations. But then, she didn't know how this particular family worked. Osamu knew, from experience, that if he didn't go, Ken would be forced to go alone.

The trip to the Leaky Cauldron was short and silent. Ken resented having to have his brother along, but there really wasn't anything he could do about it without looking like a total brat. After having been on the receiving end of a number of stares; almost as if they had never seen a guy in a wheelchair before (Which just happened to be the truth.) a man from the DIE, whose job it apparently was to sit in the pub and open Diagon Alley to first year Hogwarts students who were either alone or accompanied by a muggle adult, met them to let them enter Diagon Alley and reminded them where they could get their money exchanged from pounds to sickles. The first stop they made after they had changed their money, was to get the most important item on the list; the wand.

The first thing that Osamu noticed as he and his brother entered the store, was the lack of prices listed. They had to wait a bit, as there was a boy ahead of them and only one clerk. A girl whom Osamu assumed was with the boy, kept staring at him, but for once this didn't seem to bother him. When it came time for Ken's turn, their mother voiced her concerns about the cost, which were smoothly calmed by the proprietor who explained the finer points of wand obtaining. It took about thirty tries for Ken to get matched with the right wand; a slender affair in a wood so dark it looked black.

After that came the robes, followed by books and then general equipment. There nearly was a scene in regards to the pet store; Ken had wanted to get a pet but their mother didn't want to deal with an animal in the house. But Osamu had talked his mother down from her stance with an explanation that a pet would do Ken a world of good, **and** Ken was going to be living on campus for most of the year.

And the pet idea **was** good for Ken. The kitten they had ended up developing a habit of finding the absolute worst place to be at any given time. And although this annoyed Ken a bit (Ken actually tripped over the cat a few times), he responded well to the small animal. In fact Ken was trying to train the cat to ride on his shoulder. Of course it wasn't going nearly as well as Ken would've liked, but at least the cat had stopped getting underfoot. Right now Kimera, as Ken had named the multi-colored cat (although their mother called him Kim), was perched on the bed (something their mother disapproved of) watching Ken pack. As Ken placed the last few items (folded robes) into the trunk, Osamu decided to make his presence known to his brother.

"Almost ready?"

Ken looked at his older brother, and then went to lift Kimera out of the trunk. Once the cat was out of the way (although it would serve him right if he got stuck), Ken closed the trunk with a decisive click.

"You should put Kimera in the cat carrier."

"He'll walk." Ken replied snapping a leash to the kitten's black collar.

"Mom's going to insist…"

"Let her." Ken clipped the other end of the leash to his pants and stood. He grabbed his wand and stalked out of the room. Osamu followed a minute later.

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Daisuke looked up from his sketchpad at the bird in front of him. The bird, a starling, ignored the young artist. And Daisuke, for his part, ignored everything other than the bird and his pad. The first indication that his solitude had been intruded upon, was the hurried departure of the starling.

"Shouldn't you be packing?"

"I have time. I don't leave till Sunday." Daisuke pointed out.

Daisuke and Jun were close, despite their teasing. Jun had gone with him to Diagon Alley because their mother was sick and their father was at work. That particular day, Daisuke had been a bit on the hyper side. He would've pulled her in five separate directions (and shops) if she hadn't gone all Older Sister on him and steered him in a more orderly manner. They stopped in the bank to exchange their money for the wizarding equivalent and then looked into various stores as they went along.

Getting the wand was an adventure in itself. They passed Ollivanders a couple of times before they found it. Then came the Fitting (or at least how Daisuke referred to it.). Jun sat in the sole chair as her brother handled stick of wood after stick of wood. After a while, a family of three came in. One of them, a boy about Jun's age, was in a wheelchair. Although Jun knew it was rude to stare, Jun couldn't help herself. Chair or not, he still was cute. And if his being here with a boy (a least that's what the clothing suggested) around her brother's age meant what she thought it meant…

"Jun. Jun. Earth to Jun."

"Huh?"

"Let's go. I still need to get my books and stuff."

They managed to get everything else Daisuke needed for school, and discovered that they had enough left over for some ice cream -as long as they kept the order simple. It was a good ending to a good day, and the pair had bonded during that trip nearly two weeks ago in ways that neither of them would be able to describe.

As the summer wore on, their mutual Understanding grew just like the ivy on the fence or the juniper tree sitting undisturbed in the sun. When September first rolled around, Jun looked in on Daisuke as he was stuffing his sketchpad into a book bag. His trunk lay in the middle of the floor like a ruin from a time long forgotten.

"Ready?"

"I guess."

"Nervous?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?"

"I'm sure it'll be fine. You're a wonderful, open, honest, loyal, brave person. They'd have to be crazy not to like you."

"You're just saying that because you're my sister."

"I'm saying it because it's true. Older sisters aren't supposed to say things like that. It's our job to deflate the egos of little brothers; not pump them up. Now if you're ready, we should head out. Don't want to miss the train."

* * *

I want to return now. 


	4. Gather Round the Cross

* * *

Digi Potter   
By Chyna Ros   
Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter nor Digimon.   
Continuity/Spoilers: Everything up to and including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; just before Harry's fifth year starts.   
Warnings: None   
Couples: None yet.   
Author's Note: I had a bit of trouble coming up with the chapter name for this one. When I split chapter three into three bits, I had a name, but it got lost. I like how this chapter panned out. At least I like the idea, which came out of an ER episode. What can I say? Inspiration comes from odd places.   
And I have been to England a total of one time, before I even read my first Harry Potter book. I've never been to King's Cross Station, and my knowledge of English trains doesn't go far beyond the Tube. I'm assuming the non-subway trains work much like Amtrak or the Italian train system.   
-----Gather Round the Cross-----   
King's Cross Station in London is one of the larger stations in the city. It is one of the cheapest and most practical way to visit cities and towns outside of London. It has been operational for many years, and thus has seen many, many strange things. It watched passively as an excited red haired girl with green eyes passed through a wall into Fate's hands. It watched sadly as, years later, a lone boy with untidy black hair and green eyes searched and searched for his platform with a somewhat desperate air about him.   
And it was watching on that first lazy early Sunday in September. Few people had passed through its doors, as it **was** before noon on a Sunday at the tail end of summer. But still, it wasn't totally empty. In fact a number of families had entered only to disappear moments later as they waited on platform nine. A pair of people pushed a trolley over to the mini Bermuda triangle. The pair, siblings by all appearances, didn't seem all that concerned. The boy pushed his trolley against the wall separating platforms nine and ten. A gaggle of kids made their way through the station; talking and joking as they walked. The tallest, a lanky blue haired youth, acted the part of the parent in order to insure that they got where they were going without incident. In another part of the station, there was a bit of excitement. A pair of blondes in the company of a small brunette boy and a girl with lavender hair worked their way across the terminal unaware that they were being followed by trouble. Trouble was a 'wild' raven that somehow had gotten in, and was avoiding attempts to capture and 'free' it. Then came the old family. It wasn't that they looked all that strange in comparison to other travelers who choose to ride the rails, for they looked rather normal on that count. And it wasn't their overall behavior was all that unusual. They made their way to the platforms like seasoned travelers. It was the way the four of them interacted with each other. The warmth of the family was missing between some of them, unlike the troupe that just entered. **That** particular family had warmth to spare. It was something that can be felt; like sunlight.   
As the four groups began to converge on the single platform that exuded Importance, a number of things occurred. The ten fifteen train to Bristol arrived a little early on platform thirteen a little too fast causing quite a bit of panic. In that moment, as passengers and crew rushed about tying to advert disaster, there was a shout muted by the over all noise level. When the commotion had passed, two people were missing. Both were boys on the cusp of adolescence; one with neat blue hair, the other a wild mass of red-brown. Yet, a second alarm was not sounded nor a search headed up. Life at the station had returned to normal, and the station itself breathed a sigh.   
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The extended condensed Weasley family made its yearly trek through the terminal at King's Cross. It was a tradition that would most likely die in three years time, as the youngest left the school system and the next generation had no even been born. Yet it did not have to be so. Although Molly was beyond an age to bear any more children of her own, she had enough love to raise many more. With her nest empty of her precious babes, she could easily open it to those innocent casualties of war and unfortunate circumstances. She would talk to her husband about talking to the DWCFS about becoming a foster parent as soon as he got home from work.   
Harry and Ron (with Fred and George interjecting their opinions every now and then) were discussing Weighty Matters (Quidditch) while Ginny and Hermione rolled their eyes before starting their own talk. As they began their final approach to their current destination, the excrement hit the oscillating blade.   
Hermione gasped as she realized that an incoming train wasn't slowing down fast enough to avoid collision with the wall at the end of its track. The breaks of the train squealed, and people shouted in both horror and instruction. Hermione and Harry froze in confusion. Ron pulled them out of their trance by tugging on their arms and explaining that there was nothing **they** could do. A second shout rang out, short and full of alarm, closer than the others. They located the source of the shout when they reached platform nine. A pair of feet stuck out on one side of the barrier for about a minute before they got pulled through. The train managed to stop in time, and the only ill effect was that a number of people had a rather nasty scare.   
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Ken sneered as he looked around. Here was a group of teens; laughing and joking as they went. There walked two sets of people followed by a bird and people trying to catch it. And leaning against the wall was a boy talking to a girl. Pathetic, the lot of them.   
To think that any of those… insects would be going to the same school he was, nearly turned his stomach. After all, his **cat** looked smarter than the brown haired boy waiting on platform nine. And Kimera was just a dumb animal.   
Osamu watched his brother as he rolled across the terminal. He hated having to manipulate his parents like this. But it was the way things were in his house. It wasn't up to him to change things in this regarded, and his parents were so… **blind** to the issue that they couldn't see that change was needed. And for all **their** ignorance, **Ken** was the one to suffer.   
While Osamu was busy thinking about his life, and Ken was occupied with belittling strangers in his head, the Ichijouji family arrived on platform nine. They still had a good fifty minutes to find the train, and it wasn't as if they were left to fend totally for themselves thanks to the DIE.   
Then what Ken had been hoping for came. A train coming into the station had misjudged the distance and was in danger of causing a crash. People were scrambling around like chickens with their heads cut off. Ken took advantage of the distraction, which could not have been better if he had planned it, to slip quietly through the barrier. About a meter away from him lay, stunned, the brunette boy who had been leaning against the wall.   
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Takeru, Yamato, Miyako, and Iori walked through the station unaware of the commotion they were causing. Or, if they were aware, at least were ignoring it. Tengu passed them as best he could from the air, skillfully avoiding those who were attempting to 'rescue' him.   
Even though the four (five?) of them had walked in together, they didn't really interact. Miyako had quickly grown tired of trying to draw the blondes into conversation. Takeru simply didn't have much to say, and Yamato was down right anti-social. Thus the trip to the station was a silent one.   
And since they were not distracted with chatter, and one of them was very familiar with the station, they arrived at platform nine in short order. Which set off minor alarms in Miyako's mind. There was a wall between platforms nine and ten. A wall that was for all intents and purposes, solid since someone was using it to prop himself up. This posed a problem, but Miyako was up for the challenge.   
Then the air filled with a high pitched, metallic shriek. A train wasn't stopping fast enough. They winced in pain as the noise assaulted their ears. People ran past them in an effort to help those who would need it. Through her mostly closed eyes, Miyako thought she saw a bit of movement from the leaning boy, but figured its was just a trick of the light. Still, that brief sight nagged at her from the back of her mind. Once things settled down, the boy was gone without a trace.   
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"Are you sure about that?" Hikari asked her brother. The six of them were walking through King's Cross Station under Joyu's watchful eyes.   
"Have I ever lied to you before?"   
"Yes."   
They lapsed into silence. Well, most of them were quiet. Mimi was talking to Sora, and both girls appeared to have started in on Girl Talk territory.   
Hikari thought about what her brother had said. It **seemed** likely, but nothing official had been said. And if it **was** true, then wouldn't something have been said; some sort of public announcement made. But then, Taichi wasn't your typical big brother. He rarely teased her, but he had his moments. Like his hiding her whistle when they were much younger. Still…   
"Oh isn't this just great."   
Hikari was jarred out of her musings by Joyu's sarcastic statement. Hikari looked to see what had caused Joyu to momentarily revert to his pessimistic ways. A burgundy haired boy leaned against a trolley that was, in turn, leaning against the wall between platforms nine and ten. He was talking to a girl with the same wine colored hair. And that presented the problem. As long as the boy was using the barrier to prop himself up, they couldn't go through it for worry about exposing the existence of magic to someone (she thought) shouldn't know about it. Yet there was nothing they could do about it. After all, where was it written that someone couldn't lean on a wall while waiting for a train. Well, there was **one** thing they could do. They could wait.   
As they waited, and Koushiro worked to keep Joyu out of high panic mode, something happened. Or rather a couple of things happened; none of which Hikari expected. A train came into the station, which was nothing new here, but something was wrong. The train wasn't stopping in the right way. People began rushing around, and Joyu had gone into what Taichi referred to as 'doctor mode'. The boy turned towards the noise and confusion. And as he did this, Hikari watched him. And as an undignified look began to dawn on his face, she noticed that the trolley he was leaning on began to roll past the barrier.   
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Daisuke and Jun Motomiya walked through King's Cross Station quietly. Each of them was lost in thought; he about the upcoming year, and she about how he would do without her around to bail him out and back him up. They had arrived early for a number of reasons. For one thing, Daisuke was one of those people who continually late. Even if he left on time, or even early, he always managed to end up late. And it was rarely his fault that he ended up late. Second, Daisuke didn't know how long it would take to find the platform; or rather find the trick and opportunity to get to the platform. The DIE agent, who was supposed to tell him how to get to platform nine and three quarters, had not done the most thorough of jobs about it. Daisuke had simply been told about the barrier (mainly that it existed) and that Muggles (his sister and parents excluded of course) couldn't see him go through.   
They reached platform nine at half past nine. Daisuke pushed the trolley he had put his trunk on, against the separating wall between platforms, and leaned against it. Jun propped herself up on a nearby column. They looked out at the passing people.   
"Well, this is it."   
"I guess so."   
"Think your ready for this?"   
"Nope, but I'm not going to let that stop me."   
"Think you'll be okay?"   
"I'll manage. I mean, I'll probably be a bit homesick for the first couple of days, but that's kinda to be expected."   
"Yeah. I remember the first time I stayed away from home for than a night."   
"You were only gone a week."   
"Not my fault I had to have my tonsils removed and had to come home. Anyway, that's not the point."   
"Then what is?"   
"I'll let you know if I figure it out."   
"If you have any problems with anyone, let me know, and I'll be up there to kick their ass; magic or no magic. No one messes with my little brother but me."   
"I can handle myself Jun. … But thanks."   
"Jun, do you think mom'll be alright?"   
"She'll be fine. She's a Motomiya; we're known for our reliance and stubbornness."   
Both brother and sister slipped into silence. They watched as a number of people came their way; including the boy in the wheelchair Jun has seen in Ollivanders, and the girl who lived next door. It was relatively quiet now; few people were milling about their end of the station. Daisuke let more of his weight be supported by the trolley, which in turn had its weight resting on the barrier, when all hell broke loose. People began rushing towards platform thirteen in preparation of a potential disaster and train wreak. As attention began to shift to the perilous track (his included), Daisuke began to notice something. The trolley that he was using to prop himself up, was moving slowly. As this began to register in his brain (and show on his face), the trolley began to move faster. With a bit of flailing, and a startled whoa, Daisuke found himself falling through the barrier onto platform nine and three quarters. The trolley holding his trunk continued on its merry way until it hit the side of the grand 'ole dame; the Hogwarts Express. Daisuke sat there a moment, catching his breath, before getting up and reclaiming his things. 


	5. Travel Pains

* * *

Digi Potter (for lack of a better title)   
By Chyna Rose   
Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter nor Digimon.   
Continuity/Spoilers: Everything up to and including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; just before Harry's fifth year starts.   
Warnings: None   
Couples: None yet.   
Author's Note: I know, this is pretty late. Finals and papers, you know. I **did** have it done back near the beginning of May, but I didn't have the time to transfer it from paper to Word until now. Pain to write too. Another of those chapters that seem to be more blood and sweat than creativity.   
-----Travel Pains-----   
The scarlet Hogwarts Express has been in service since the Victorian Era. Kenneth McLeod, the Muggle born son of a blue-collar railway worker, built the Hogwarts Express as a better way to transport large amounts of people (mainly students) to Hogsmeade and ultimately Hogwarts. With the help of his wife, Magdalene (or Maggie as he often called her), he managed to make the Hogwarts Express both elegant and functional. Aside from linking a hidden platform to Muggle train stations all across Great Britain (the colonies having their own schools closer to them), the McLeod's added a spell to ensure that the Hogwarts Express was **just** big enough to fit the number of passengers.   
This particular bit of space accommodation, and the knowledge that there **was** a seat for him somewhere, did absolutely nothing to help Daisuke Motomiya. After all, somewhere was not necessarily here, and it really wasn't the **train** that was causing the problem. As Daisuke made his way through the train, he looked into the compartments he passed for a free seat. Yet, each compartment he had so far tried was either full or had the empty space(s) reserved for someone who wasn't him. Oh sure, in some cases they were very polite and apologetic about it, but he knew that they just didn't want him around regardless.   
Eventually, he did find a seat near the back. He had, earlier, passed up an opportunity to sit with the girl who now lived next door to him and her friends for no other reason than it felt like he would be intruding on them (although they would be nice enough not to say anything about it). Not that he normally cared if he was intruding on people, or that he felt he would be kicked out if he **did** decide to sit there. He also had been chased out of a virtually empty compartment by an openly hostile boy around his age. Again, Daisuke would normally have foisted his company on the other boy as stubbornness was one of his hallmarks, but before he could even attempt to try again, he was forcefully pushed aside by a wall of an older boy.   
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Time and the train plodded on at a steady pace. Some slept and some read, but most students simply talked with friends. The trip was just reaching that point where time stretched and distorted.   
One of the aspects of long distance travel that neither science or magic have yet to combat, is the way the perception of time grossly distorts. Often this distortion manifests as the sense that the trip took longer than it actually did. This point where minuets feel like hours, the Eternity Horizon, depends on how far and how fast someone is going. It is not so much that time physically alters, but that it **feels** like it does. And when you get right down to it, time is only what it is perceived to be. The effects of the Eternity Horizon depend on a number of factors including an individual's current activity, boredom threshold, travel attitude, and feelings about where they are headed. For people who fall asleep before the Eternity Horizon is reached will often experience a phenomenon of accelerated time as they were not aware of both distance and time passing. Thus the Eternity Horizon got its name, as the time spent was perceived as an eternity, but the effects could drop a person into a personal hell of wondering (or asking repeatedly) are we there yet, or gently place them in a paradise which they wish would never end. It is interesting to note that the Eternity Horizon can be crossed when not in transit. If you've ever fallen asleep in class or wished someone would find you at an obligatory social function in order to put you out of your misery. In fact, one of the best ways to get a person to break is to leave them alone in a bare room without a watch, clock, or other such way to calculate the passage of time. The unfortunate side effect is that the longer it goes on, the more likely they are to go mad (which is one of the leading reasons) prisoners in Azkaban become insane). Yet it does leave one with a tactical advantage as the person put through such treatment is forced off balance. The concept of the Eternity Horizon has another, although somewhat less sinister (depending on who was using it and why), benefit. By distorting someone's sense of time, his or her sense of distance goes with it. So that they generally don't know how they got to wherever they were going unless they already had the directions. Add in a bunch of random turns and nothing to make a landmark of, and a person will become truly lost.   
The trip from platform nine and three quarters to Hogsmeade Station, which takes about six and a half hours, has its usual events. At about three, a witch walks from car to car, selling snack items. At about quarter past six, word spreads to put on robes because the train was about to reach the station. The students also had their yearly rituals. For example, ever since they began attending Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabble, and Gregory Goyle would seek out and pester Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger at one point during the trip. In fact, Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't feel like they could truly relax on the train until after the confrontation had occurred. This particular trip though, Draco spent the entire time locked in a stare down with a rather insolent dark haired first year. Harry and his friends sat in a tense sort of peace as they kept waiting for the inevitable. The lack of the annual confrontation even led them to speculate why the blonde and his goons hadn't popped up like the proverbial bad penny.   
For Daisuke, the trip was somewhat pleasant. He sat with three quiet strangers, sketching. Despite his best intentions, he found himself sketching the two boys. Although Daisuke could see the beauty in any form, and he really didn't think yet in terms of attraction, he found himself drawing more pictures of guys than girls. It was a subtle thing that he didn't quite understand, but the inkling of what it meant danced around the edges of his awareness. He did, however, realize that it wouldn't be a good thing if others found out what he was drawing. Not that his resistance was a barrier to Miyako, who had decided that the silence had gone on too long to suffer further. She kept trying to peek at the sketch though both word and action.   
"Well why not?"   
"Because… they're not that good."   
"I'll be the judge on whether they're any good."   
"I never showed them to anyone."   
"There's a first time for everything."   
"Did anyone ever tell you that you're a very rude person?"   
Instead of answering, Miyako made a last desperate bid for the pad. She made a half-lunge/grab for it, and Daisuke tried to dodge out of the way. Things didn't go exactly as either of them had planned. Miyako found herself lying across the seats without the coveted pad. Daisuke found himself sprawled on the floor also without the prize. The sketchpad in question lay open at the feet of the older blonde. Luckily for Daisuke, it was open to a picture of a cat read to pounce. Unluckily, it made Miyako want to see what else was drawn in there. But fate decided to be kind to the auburn-haired boy. Before Daisuke and Miyako could try grabbing the pad, Yamato woke up and picked it up. After closing it, he gave it to the person Tengu had indicated as the owner (Familiars such a Tengu tend to be smarter than others of their species, and in time, seem to communicate silently with their owners.). Once he had his pad back, Daisuke traded it for a book -much to Miyako's displeasure. 


	6. Interlude

Digi Potter (for lack of a better title)

By Chyna Rose

Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter nor Digimon.

Continuity/Spoilers: Everything up to and including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; just before Harry's fifth year starts.

Warnings: None

Couples: None yet.

Author's Note: I know it took me about a year to write another chapter, but I finally managed to do it. Thanks for not lynching me. This is chapter four and a half. Chapter five will most likely take a while. Aside from the fact that I've been having trouble with chapter five since last June, I've got plenty on my plate for this summer: mainly the Gathering and a trip to Japan. That said, those of you who guess who our mysterious gentlemen plotters are, get the satisfaction… of being right.

--- -- Interlude -- ---

The room was big. So big, that it could hardly even be called a room. But it also couldn't really be called outside either. The ground/floor was the same shade of neutral gray as the ceiling/sky. And presumably, the walls. But this vast not-a-room was not empty. In the middle (if such a thing existed in such a place) a pair of overstuffed armchairs sat facing each other over an ornate chess board. End tables flanked the chairs. Surrounding this was a collection of bookshelves, a bar, a fire place, and a cluttered writing desk, giving the space a library feel. The not-a-room was lit by small gas lamps, while a small fire crackled merrily in the fire place. Completing this cozy feeling was a small silver serving cart with the remnants of tea.

Two men sat in the armchairs, ruminating over the chess board and enjoying the late (such as time applied here) tea. While the warm light made it possible for them to see the board, they themselves remained concealed by shadow. Each shrouded figure exuded an aura of great power and great age.

"Interesting move. Can't say I would have thought of it myself.

"You sell yourself short my friend. After all, you've managed to pull off a number of inventive moves yourself."

"Still, it was not a move I would have made."

"True. You **do** have a tendency to play conservatively. Outrageously and often spectacularly, but conservatively none the less. Check."

"Ah. But is it wise to add a wild card at such a late state?"

"You know the old saying; nothing ventured, nothing gained. And many times it's playing that wild card that wins you the game. Besides, I have faith in him."

"He will have to be carefully watched and controlled. Check."

"Controlling and watching are right up your alley. No doubt you've already got a plan or three waiting to be put in action. Check by the way."

"You know me too well, old friend. Almost makes the game not wroth playing. And I do believe that makes check mate."

"Why so it does. I take it you'll be leaving now."

"I'm afraid so. My responsibilities can't wait for me forever. Oh, but I must ask, wherever did you find such a delightful tea blend?"

"A little birdie told me about it. I can send you some if you're interested."

"That would be wonderful."

A fire crackled merrily in its fire place in the maybe-middle of the not-a-room. The not-a-room was empty now. The only sign that anyone had been there at all was an odd tea cup. Had anyone been there to watch, they would have seen the cup slowly disintegrate into nothing. Once the cup was gone, the rest of the furniture followed suite; its purpose served. Only then did the not-a-room fade to black.


	7. Watch that Fist Night it's a Doozy Pt 1

Digi Potter (for lack of a better title)

By Chyna Rose

Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter nor Digimon.

Continuity/Spoilers: Everything up to and including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; just before Harry's fifth year starts.

Warnings: None

Couples: None yet.

Author's Note: I've finally done it. A new chapter. Yeah. I did take my time on this. I'll try not to take so long for the next installment, but there are no real guarantees on that. Life, and other projects, have a way of getting in the way. All bits of Japanese will be translated in a postscript although certain bits will only be translated once. I'm not going to translate something every single time I use it; I think by the hundredth you've seen it you'll be able to figure out that hai means yes. Same kinda goes with anything said that a character translates. As always, I'm using the Japanese names of the Digimon characters.

--- -- Watch that Fist Night; it's a Doozy -- ---

--Part One—

By the time the train pulled into Hogsmeade Station, the sun had just set leaving the station bathed in the ink of twilight. The students, now dressed in their school robes, disembarked in a roughly less chaotic way than they had boarded the Hogwarts Express. The older students went straight to the collection of horseless carriages, while the first years milled around in groups trying to figure out where they were supposed to go.

As Daisuke waited with Miyako, Takeru, and Yamato (his companions from the train), he saw a large (inhumanly so) bear of a man walking the banks of an enormous lake. He held a lit lantern aloft and a gaggle of young kids followed in his wake. His voice boomed out above the general buzz of hundreds of students talking; calling the first years over to him. It was a somewhat bizarre and frightening sight. However it might look, the older students ignored the sight (in fact, a few stopped to say hi to the man). Apparently, Daisuke decided, this was normal for here.

"So now what?" Miyako asked.

"We head toward that big guy" Daisuke replied, taking charge.

"Are you sure?"

"Do you have any better ideas?" Daisuke asked. He stared at Miyako; daring her to follow through with her challenge. She backed down without a word. "Besides, that's where everyone else our age is going"

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"The older kids don't look worried about him. If he was a threat, wouldn't they be a little concerned about him?" Having said that, Diasuke made his way over to Hagrid. It didn't take long for the others to follow suit.

Eventually they reached the lake, where Hagrid was busy helping kids onto the boats four at a time. As each boat was filled, it was pushed a little out of the way so an empty boat could take its place. While a few students held out for a boat with enough room for them and their friends, most got onto the nearest boat.

Just as Yamato was about to board a boat with his brother, Hagrid reached down and gently put a hand on his shoulder. Every first year stopped to look at what the strange man was going to o to the boy: fearing the worst. The older students ignored this. They knew that, despite his intimidating size, Hagrid was (mostly) harmless.

"You must be the transfer student. Yah-mah-toe E-she-dah right?"

Yamato nodded, completely unsure about what was going to happen. Hagrid broke out into a wide grin – which did nothing to allay Yamato's (and Takeru's) fear.

"Professor McGonagall'll meet you when you get to the castle. Don't worry, you'll know her when you see her. You can take one of the carriages with the older students"

Yamato was torn. On one hand, he didn't want to set off the unknown and fearsome man. On the other hand, he was loathe to leave his little brother alone and in possible danger.

"Shinpai shinaide. Daijoubu. Honto" Takeru said with a comforting smile. Yamato smiled back at Takeru's effort. Their parents had divorced when Takeru was five (Yamato was nine), and their mother had taken Takeru and moved to England. Therefore, while Yamato learned English in school, Takeru was left pretty much on his own when it came to learning Japanese. Needless to say, he wasn't very good and only made an attempt on rare occasions. It was just easier for Yamato to speak English than it was for Takeru to speak Japanese.

With Takeru's assurance that he'd be fine without his big brother hanging over him, Yamato came to a decision. He gathered his nerve and let Hagrid guide him to the carriages. It was too late now to back out – no matter how much he might want to.

When Yamato saw the three people already in the carriage, he almost got off to fin an empty one. But, seeing as he had arrived at the carriages at such a late time, he doubted that he would **find** an empty one.

"Anou... Sumimasen. Demo... Watashi wa koko ni suwatte moii ka?"

Yamato winced as he drew blank stares. They probably thought that he was crazy. Not a good way to start off. But he was nervous, and that made it difficult for him to remember to speak in English. Taking a deep calming breath, he decided to try again.

"Excuse me. But can I sit here?"

Ron, Hermione, and Harry exchanged silent looks as they considered Yamato's question. Harry shrugged, not caring if Yamato stayed. It wasn't like they were discussing anything sensitive. Ron's expression said that he had no problem with it and that Hermione had just been elected group spokes person.

"Sure" Hermione replied with a smile.

"Domo arigato gozaimasu. Err... Thank you very much"

Yamato kicked himself even as the words left his mouth. He had done it again. He was acting like an idiot. If he was going to act like an idiot, the least he could do was be a quiet idiot. He was perfectly happy not to say another thing until he caught back up with his brother. Life however (or was it Destiny?) had other ideas.

"So what's your name? I'm Hermione Granger, this is Ron Weasley, and this is Harry Potter" Hermione instructed. Ron looked at her questioningly; not sure what to make of her gambit. But in the end, he decided to trust her.

"How do you do. I am Ishida Yamato. It is a pleasure to meet you" Yamato said with a bow. Just because he didn't feel like talking, there was no reason to be rude.

Ron, Harry and Hermione on the other hand, didn't know what to think. Yamato hadn't reacted at all to Harry's name. Well, at least not in any way that they expected. As far as he acted, Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, could be just another bloke on the street. It was somewhat refreshing, although it raised a few alarm bells. But then, the fact that they had never seen Yamato before – and he obviously wasn't a first year – set off one or two of those bells. Hermione, of course had a theory. And to test it out, she'd have to do something she wasn't looking forward to doing. She came form an educated home with a professional mother. She cut her teeth on feminist ideals based on idols such as Margaret Thatcher and the Celtic queen Boudica. By the time she was five she had firmly declared to her parents that if being a girl meant that she would become a vapid airhead, then she didn't want to be a girl anymore. Even now, that kind of girl drove her nuts (although by now she had learned to tolerate such behavior).

"That language you spoke before. I don't think I ever heard it before. What was that?"

"It was Japanese."

"Did you come from Japan?"

"Ha... Yes"

"You speak English pretty good"

"Thank you"

They went on like that until they reached the castle. The trio (via Hermione) learned that Yamato was a transfer student from Japan and was going to be put in the fourth year of whatever house he was sorted into, and had never heard of Harry Potter or Lord Voldermort. They also learned that, while he had a pretty good grasp of English, he would occasionally default to Japanese – mostly when nervous or not thinking before speaking. Yamato found out about some of the reality of Hogwarts. Things that Hogwarts: A History wasn't able to touch on. He also discovered that it might be better for his health and sanity if he and Takeru spent as little time around Harry, Hermione, and Ron as possible. They were, quite frankly in Yamato's opinion, completely nuts.

"You speak Japanese?"

Takeru was brought back to reality by Daisuke's question. He had been absorbed in watching his older brother head toward the carriages. Despite his reassurances to Yamato, Takeru was just as unsure about what was going on as Yamato was, and regretted telling Yamato to go as soon as he had said it. However what was done was done, and there was no way for him to change things. Besides he had other things to focus on than what he wished he had done.

"A little"

"You don't look Japanese" Miyako bluntly pointed out.

"What's **that** got to do with anything?" Daisuke interjected.

At some unseen signal, the now filled boats began to start across the lake. Daisuke quickly sat down and turned to get a good look at the person he was sitting next to. The boy looked familiar, although Daisuke couldn't put a name to the face. A fact that was easily rectified.

"Hi" Daisuke ventured. The blue-haired boy ignored him. Daisuke didn't let that phase him. Instead he decided to try again.

"My name is Daisuke, and you are..." Again, he was shot down. And again, Daisuke wasn't deterred. He could be pretty single minded when he wanted to be and wouldn't let something go until he was satisfied with the outcome. It was one of the things that made him as good an artist as he was. He wasn't going to give up so easily. And as the say third time's the charm.

"So where are you from?" That didn't work either. The other boy just wasn't talking and didn't look like he was about to any time soon. Miyako and Takeru were no help. Miyako was too busy grilling Takeru about his brother and ability to understand (although on a limited basis) Japanese.

"So how long have you known that you were a wizard?"

"Leave me alone"

Success! It might've been a negative response, but it still was a response. And that was always a good sign. It proved that he wasn't being completely ignored. And Daisuke **hated** being ignored. Now, with one foot in the door, Daisuke cast about for something else to talk about. He found it in the form of a kitten settled serenely in the silent boy's lap. Perfect. If it was one thing that Daisuke could count on, it was the fact that pet owners loved talking about their pets. It was almost a compulsion, and it was easy to exploit.

"Is that your cat? What's its name? Is it a boy or a girl? What breed?" Daisuke began firing off questions at an almost inhuman rate. The boy turned to glare at him; obviously annoyed with Daisuke's attentions.

"Shut up"

"I've always wanted a cat. But my mom said we can't have one 'cause Jun's allergic. Jun's my annoying older sister. I swear that her only purpose is to annoy me. Hey, do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I said shut up"

"Sometimes I wish I had an older brother. I mean, Jun's cool and all. She does do her best to protect me – she even got suspended once 'cause she beat up this kid who was picking on me. But she's a **girl**. She snaps your head off for no reason. Hell, she made me play dress up when we were little. Dress up! Bet you that if she were a boy, she'd never have done anything like that. Of course she might've been the kind of boy that actually **enjoys** dressing up in frilly clothes. What do you think?"

"I think that if you don't shut up and leave me alone **right now**, I'm going to throw you in the lake" Ken threatened in an even voice. His glare had melted away into a calm that promised violence at the least amount of provocation – with just a hint of madness. It said that there was no such thing as an idle threat. Daisuke, wisely decided to back off. Apparently, he had hit a major nerve. And even though he wanted to find out about the mysterious blue-haired boy, he wasn't going to press a topic if it was apparently painful. Daisuke understood that sometimes you just Didn't Go There. There were a few things about his life that he didn't want to touch with a ten foot pole. Daisuke spent the rest of the tri to the castle in silence.

Yamato stepped off the carriage carefully. He still felt a bit lost; nothing that Hermione, Ron, and Harry had told him had really prepared him for what was going to happen His was a unique case. The man who had sent him over to the carriages (Hagrid he had been told by his new 'friends') had said that a Professor McGonagall would meet him at the castle and explain what was expected of him. However, he was never really told who she was. It was just assumed (or so he assumed) that he'd know her when he saw her. This would not have happened at his old school. Back there, a transfer student would've been well informed about what to expect. Then again, if this was his old school he would've been brought to the school two weeks before the year started for testing and placement.

But that was really neither here nor there. The fact of the matter was that Yamato had reached the castle and didn't see this Professor McGonagall who was supposed to meet him.

Standing at the front of the stairs wasn't doing him any good. The other students flowed around him into the castle. He was pushed ever so slowly toward the school; not out of any real want to move him, but as a natural product of the crush of the crowd. In the end, Yamato decided to go with the flow of the crowd and enter the castle. He could always find the nearest adult and ask them to direct him to where he could find Professor McGonagall.

As it turned out, he needn't have worried. Professor McGonagall was waiting for him just inside the castle. She moved to stand before him, the students parting around her in deference to her position.

"Mf. Ishida, I presume?"

"Hai... Yes" Yamato answered. He looked at the woman before him somewhat confused. She was a sever looking woman, intimidating in her prim and proper manner.

"I am Professor McGonagall; Head of Gryffindor and Deputy Headmistress. I also teach Transfiguration. Welcome to Hogwarts Mr. Ishida" she said with a slight bow. Yamato appreciated the gesture "The first years will be arriving shortly. They will be sorted following an introductory speech about the House system – as is customary here. Once they have been sorted, the Headmaster will give a short speech and then you will be sorted"

No sooner had a moment passed since Professor McGonagall finished her short speech, than Hagrid arrived with the first years. They filed nervously into the chamber, Takeru immediately seeking out his older brother. Professor McGonagall looked them over while nodding to Hagrid, who quietly slipped outside. Alone now with the children Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and waited for the group to settle a bit and quiet down

"Welcome to Hogwarts"

Translation Notes:

Most of the Japanese was 'automatically' translated into English during the course of the chapter. But for the bit that wasn't, here's the translation.

Shinpai shinaide. Daijoubu. Honto Don't worry. It's ok. Honest.

Translations provided by Bable Fish, a Japanese-English dictionary, and the occasional class note. Accuracy not 100 guaranteed.


End file.
